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    Cover of Paul Rand

    Paul Rand

    Steven Heller · 1999

    "Paul Rand (1914-96) was a pioneering figure in American graphic design. Adopting what he called a 'problem solving' approach to design, he drew on the ideas of European avant-garde art movements, such as Cubism, Constructivism and De Stijl, and synthesized them to produce his own distinctive graphic language." "Rand's career spanned almost seven decades and numerous chapters of design history. His own books are solidly thematic, whereas this definitive collection of his key published and proposed works is medium-driven. It explores the full range of his advertising, publishing and corporate identity work." "This detailed survey marks the first complete retrospective of Rand's powerful body of work."--Jacket.

    Design & UXArts, Games & MediaBiography & Memoir
    Open LibraryAmazon
    Stats for nerds
    2recommend
    5mentions
    2people
    2012–2023years
    80% recommend20% neutral

    Mentions per year

    2012201420162018202020222023

    What Hacker News says

    1. cschmidtNov 2023
      If you want to know more about Paul Rand, who is generally considered the greatest logo designer ever, I recommend:

      https://www.amazon.com/Paul-Rand-Steven-Heller/dp/0714839949...

      And his own books on design are all worth a read.

      He did the classic logos of IBM, NeXT, UPS, Morningstar, Cummins Engine, CBS, Westinghouse, and lots more.

      thread
    2. cschmidtApr 2018
      If you’re new to Paul Rand, there is a very good book on his work:

      Paul Rand https://www.amazon.com/dp/0714839949/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_4GO2...

      thread
    3. artursapekFeb 2013
      Go to art school, like I did. Hahahah. No, I'm kidding, don't. But do become educated about the past. Buy some books. I recommend starting with Paul Rand http://www.amazon.com/Paul-Rand-Steven-Heller/dp/0714839949 I love that book. I'll never let go of my copy.

      The most important thing is not to focus too much on current trends. They're mostly bullshit that will be forgotten fast. The reason I say study the past is because everything old that has been documented is actually worth studying. It's "stood the test of time," if you will.

      I think a lot of designers today focus too much on what's happening NOW, reading today's blogs and knowing the trends and whatever. So they go make things with an extremely narrow perspective and think they're designing when really they're retracing the only thing they know.

      People don't know nearly enough on say, 50's modernism. Or the Bauhaus aesthetic. Watch the Eameses' films. Know the greats. Respect them. Broaden your awareness. Graphic design was huge before computers.

      Then apply the broad ideas you absorb from that to the medium you're working in. That's my advice. There's no Stack Overflow for design. It doesn't work the same way as programming. You're not going to become a good designer by visiting websites.

      thread
    4. cschmidtJul 2012
      You're in for a treat. Paul Rand's books like "Design, Form, and Chaos" are great.

      Also, the book "Paul Rand" by Stephen Heller is well worth reading.

      www.amazon.com/Paul-Rand-Steven-Heller/dp/0714839949

      thread
    5. cschmidtNov 2014
      Paul Rand was different than many logo designers, in that he just presented a single solution, rather than letting the client pick from several. He worked out what he thought was right, and that's what you were going to get.

      This is a pretty good book about Paul Rand, for the curious: http://www.amazon.com/Paul-Rand-Steven-Heller/dp/0714839949/

      thread

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